LIVE from the Diamond Princess - 35 days Singapore to Vancouver

[Pia1913]

What ccrain said... and - thanks to all the fabulous crew of the Diamond for making it a memorable experience, my amazingly wonderful house/dog/mom sitter Nancy without whom this trip wouldn't have happened for us, to Mike for taking care of Dennis' stitches, Lew for taking care of my cough, and all the friends who made it such a fun trip. For those who have asked - no it was NOT me who made the major jewelry purchase (although I did see a fabulous black opal in Ketchikan...but at $28K it was a little out of my price range...) Let it be known by all and sundry that Bob really rocks at movie poster trivia!

 

On a more practical note - we got sort of forced into an overnight stay (our original flight home on Air Canada today at 3:30 PM got cancelled - last one of the 'seasonal' Saturday flights to Honolulu was last week so we got moved over to the Sunday flight) and we booked at the Holiday Inn Express at Riverport. Checked and found that they had an airport shuttle so decided to take the SkyTrain (thank you Vancouverite passengers and Hutch!) from the port to the airport and then shuttle to the hotel. This is SO easy and inexpensive, as long as you don't have an overwhelming amount of luggage - we had 4 pieces - two medium cases and two carryons - that were easily managed for the relatively short distances involved. The hardest thing was getting out of the terminal, as there were around 5000 people trying to get out and an equal number starting to arrive. One of the travel groups from our ship complicated the exit to the city center by gathering perpendicular to the flow of traffic and basically not letting anyone through for a while. We got behind a very agressive porter with a big luggage rack and finally got through.

 

From the top of the ramp out of Canada Place, you go to the corner - I think it was Compton Street - and go left - there is what looks like a SkyTrain station right at that corner but it isn't the line that goes to the airport - go about a block and there is another station on the left and that takes you to the line that goes direct to YVR - we got an all day pass- $9 CA for adult, $7 for seniors - that is good for travel on the SkyTrain, bus system or water bus - and in about 35 minutes or so, were at YVR. Trains are clean, plenty of room for luggage, stations have big elevators to make getting luggage on and off easy and you can't beat the price. Taxis were at a premium, there were huge queues and the ride to the airport runs around $50. Ticket machines for the SkyTrain take credit cards as well.

 

Called for our shuttle and we were picked up promptly. Got a nice upgrade at the Holiday Inn Express and early check in as well, and free internet (thus this update) Ran into some fellow cruisers on the shuttle who live in Victoria and they told us that this particular HIE (Riverport) allows you leave your car here for free if you stay one night pre-cruise - they had taken an airport shuttle bus from the port at $14 per person, so for local folks, that is another good option. They picked up the shuttle at the airport and were picking up their car to head to the ferry and home.

 

Guess that is it from us.

 

It was a great trip, but we're looking forward to getting home, too.

 

Hi Donna and Dennis, from the four of us. :D

[Pia1913]

How long did the entire bus trip take?

 

As a "sealed bus," did you go through both Canadian immigration/customs and then US immigration/customs at Canada Place?

 

Entire trip took about 3 1/2 hours. We went through nothing. We met in Pacific Moon diningroom and as a group led to a waiting area portside. There we boarded our bus and the result is what I stated above. We were given an immigration declaration to fill out (delivered to our cabin a few days ago) and we just handed it to someone as we came down the escalator and then someone else peeked at our passports. That was it.

We did US immigration on board when we arrived into Seward.

[caribill]

Entire trip took about 3 1/2 hours. We went through nothing. We met in Pacific Moon diningroom and as a group led to a waiting area portside. There we boarded our bus and the result is what I stated above. We were given an immigration declaration to fill out (delivered to our cabin a few days ago) and we just handed it to someone as we came down the escalator and then someone else peeked at our passports. That was it.

 

We did US immigration on board when we arrived into Seward.

 

Was your luggage already on the bus? Or if you only had carry-ons, was the luggage for others altready on the bus?

[Pia1913]

Was your luggage already on the bus? Or if you only had carry-ons, was the luggage for others altready on the bus?

 

Our luggage was standing curbside beside the bus and we saw it loaded on the bus. The bus didn't pull up until they brought all the luggage out.

[happiness is cruising]

HI

 

If the ship docked at 5:45 what time can one get off the ship???

 

I am doing the same thing later this summer and need to get to YVR

for my flight home to NYC asap.........and am thinking of taking the Skytrain

 

Thanks and loved all your comments...I too have read EACH one and they were Fabulous.

 

Safe journeys home.

 

Thanks so much

Ann

[srpilo]

Thanks. With so many hours to kill, I'm already on my second glass of wine. :D

 

Enjoy another glass, you deserve it.

 

 

 

As always, another great LF under your belt .

Pete :)

[lizzy77]

Thanks for the enjoyable cyber cruise with you guys.

So when's the next one Pia?

[DonahCBrown]

HI

 

If the ship docked at 5:45 what time can one get off the ship???

 

I am doing the same thing later this summer and need to get to YVR

for my flight home to NYC asap.........and am thinking of taking the Skytrain

 

Thanks and loved all your comments...I too have read EACH one and they were Fabulous.

 

Safe journeys home.

 

Thanks so much

Ann

 

According to the Disembarkation Group Chart - first of the 'Self-Service Disembarkation" groups met at 6:15 - wasn't up at that point so can't say when they actually started disembarking, but by the time we WERE up at 7ish, we could see people leaving. Self-disembarking means you keep your luggage and take it off yourself with no assistance, but if you are going to use the SkyTrain you should be packing light anyway, so that shouldn't be an issue.

 

Formalities in Vancouver weren't too time consuming, although the line was pretty long by the time we got off at around 9:30 or so - probably took around 20 minutes from when we left the lounge to when we got to passport checking and to the area where you exit and get your luggage (which wouldn't be an issue for self disembarking).

 

It took at least another 15 minutes or so to get from there to where the forms were collected and then to the street level due to massive numbers of people trying to get to buses, taxi queues, limos, etc. and through the group that basically was parked in the middle of the flow of traffic doing I don't know what. I would also assume that if you were in the early self-disembarkation, you would not run into some of these issues.

 

Still, I would say, to be safe, give yourself an hour from the 'meeting time' to street level, 10 minutes to get to the station, get a ticket and maybe 5 minutes wait time for the train (seem to run about every 10 minutes) then 35 minutes or so to the airport, for a total of around two hours. Hopefully that will help you pick a 'doable' flight time.;)

[Pia1913]

HI

 

If the ship docked at 5:45 what time can one get off the ship???

 

I am doing the same thing later this summer and need to get to YVR

for my flight home to NYC asap.........and am thinking of taking the Skytrain

 

Thanks and loved all your comments...I too have read EACH one and they were Fabulous.

 

Safe journeys home.

 

Thanks so much

Ann

 

First independent people were allowed off at approx. 7:15, even though the instructions said they could get off at 6:30.

 

Thanks for the enjoyable cyber cruise with you guys.

So when's the next one Pia?

 

Next month Liz. See my sig line.

[JWJs]

Thanks for the fantastic "live" reports. I enjoyed reading every detail. :)

[danaruns]

As one story ends another begins. I boarded the Diamond today, and we are now heading north out of Vancouver. When I boarded, I found myself thinking of this thread and all the great stories herein, and wondering who was in my cabin (C757) during your voyage, and what stories they have to tell.

[Pia1913]

As one story ends another begins. I boarded the Diamond today, and we are now heading north out of Vancouver. When I boarded, I found myself thinking of this thread and all the great stories herein, and wondering who was in my cabin (C757) during your voyage, and what stories they have to tell.

 

I too am wondering who's sleeping in my bed. :D

[Urban trekker]

Pia - enjoyed reading your trip reports and looking forward to meeting you on the South American cruise next January.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Carolina Cruisers 2]

THANK YOU ... Pia, CCRain, and DonahBrown for sharing your fantastic cruise with us.

This is on our bucket list for 2014. Hope to see some of you on the Grand 49 day SA or Royal 30 day in 2013.

Enjoy your rest and your very own bed!

Franky and Jack

[Dorinda]

Pia, Donna, Tina....miss you all! Enjoyed reading about your cruise...Dee

[Carolina Cruisers 2]

WOW What a trip! From Singapore to Thailand, to Vietnam, to China, to Japan, to S Korea, to Russia to Alaska.

 

Hello CCRAIN

 

Enjoyed your updates! The trip you just completed is on our bucket list for 2014. We already have 79 days of cruising for 2013. Do you plan to be on Grand or Royal in 2013? If so, we will have the opportunity to meet.

 

You and Judy are dancers. So are we but not with all the technical stuff you must learn in Tango, Salsa, etc. We love Carolina:cool: 'beach music' and Shag Dance (similar to swing).

 

Please email me at fpwaters@suddenlink.net I have a question about your Journal.

 

Thank you and hope you and Judy get rested up soon.

 

Franky

[Susie51]

Thank you for your review of my favorite ship.

[ccrain]

Hello CCRAIN

 

Enjoyed your updates! The trip you just completed is on our bucket list for 2014. We already have 79 days of cruising for 2013. Do you plan to be on Grand or Royal in 2013? If so, we will have the opportunity to meet.

 

You and Judy are dancers. So are we but not with all the technical stuff you must learn in Tango, Salsa, etc. We love Carolina:cool: 'beach music' and Shag Dance (similar to swing).

 

Please email me at fpwaters@suddenlink.net I have a question about your Journal.

 

Thank you and hope you and Judy get rested up soon.

 

Franky

 

Got home at 2300 last night. No problems with flights, transfers, busses, or anything. Was at YVR a little past 9am. Could not check in sooner than 3 hours prior to flight time. We could have made an 11 or 12am flight easily. Flights were on time, slept at least an hour on each, and had time for dinner in SFO.

 

As far as dancing goes, we dance because we enjoy it. My form is atrocious, Judy has to keep me on beat and all ballroom teachers cringe, but we smile and have a blast, so I don't care that I bounce my shoulders in foxtrot, or that I don't snap out my arm, and take out the person next to me, during a New Yorker - and we don't do lifts!

 

I'll email you in a minute...

[beg3yrs]

I didn't post at all during this cruise as I HATE slow Internet. After getting home last night at midnight local time and then this morning groggily wandering through a six-week pile of mail and discovering everything that's broken as well as the cactus wren nest freshly built over my convertible (what a mess), I've read through the blog with much delight. Pia, CCRAIN (Charles and Judy Judy Judy), Ibfern and all the rest have really captured my own feelings about this cruise, so thanks to all of you.

 

I can't emphasize enough though that Princess needs to find out just what the magic potion was for this ship on this cruise. It was absolutely magical. We always had positive experiences with the staff and crew, the best in our 14 years of cruising.

 

Please Princess, replicate the potion and sprinkle it on the rest of your crew, staff and ships!

[coo359a2]

Will second everyone that this has been a great cruise. Even Delta came through and let us (Pia and Mike too) check in around 2pm for our 10:50pm flight. Made good use of their Sky Club freebies. ;) Already miss being waited on.

 

Hi Dee and John. Miss ya'll too.

[Loucat]

I have read so many "LIVE FROM.." threads, but this was the best! There was such a great combination of perspectives. CCrain posts so well I could feel and see the sights and people. Pia gave the onboard news and activities which was so well done.

I hope I did not leave anyone out. I will read your port posts again and posts on looking back on your experience. We could never do such a long cruise, but I loved reading about it.

Thank you to all and I cannot help wonder what it is like to leave a ship after so many days. I am sad leaving after a 7-10 day sailing!

[Pia1913]

I have read so many "LIVE FROM.." threads, but this was the best! There was such a great combination of perspectives. CCrain posts so well I could feel and see the sights and people. Pia gave the onboard news and activities which was so well done.

I hope I did not leave anyone out. I will read your port posts again and posts on looking back on your experience. We could never do such a long cruise, but I loved reading about it.

Thank you to all and I cannot help wonder what it is like to leave a ship after so many days. I am sad leaving after a 7-10 day sailing!

 

It's the real life of making your own dinner and not having anyone serve it to you. Also, not having Horizon Ct in which to pick and choose and your menu becomes majorly different. Our dinner tonight was a large salad, Healthy Choice and a glass of wine. ;)

[wineforhealth]

It's the real life of making your own dinner and not having anyone serve it to you. Also, not having Horizon Ct in which to pick and choose and your menu becomes majorly different. Our dinner tonight was a large salad, Healthy Choice and a glass of wine. ;)

 

The little violin is playing for you Pia.

 

Welcome back can't wait for your next "live"

 

Just think you can get back to your favorite wine and at a better price

[ibfern]

We got home late Saturday night, after a crowded morning in the port of Vancouver which was the only chaotic moment of the cruise. We also enjoyed our cruise, I especially loved the snow day in the Bering sea. On the way home we sat next to the Safety Officer from the Diamond, he was interesting and we learned a lot about the soundness of that ship! My husband, Mr. Safety, finally met a kindred spirit, they gabbed much of the flight to Los Angeles! Thanks to Joyce and Tom, our time at the airport and on the plane was much improved, thanks for the seating tip and wonderful conversation.

 

We enjoyed meeting so many new friends, as well as friends we love cruising with. We miss you all already, sending special love to Pia and Mike, Gloria and Lew, Tina and Ken, Donna and Dennis, Kathleen, Kate, Joyce and Tom, and all our cruise critic friends. You all made the cruise better.

 

A big thanks to Heather for making my Birthday so very special, hope you are feeling better!

[CruzinNoony]

We also got home Saturday night. Retrieving our luggage was a nightmare. They had no color signs to tell us where the groups of luggage were. When we got outside to the taxi line, we took one look and thought "this is a two hour wait". There was a limo parked near-by and it looked like the driver was waiting for his passengers to arrive. But, when I asked him, he said it was available. They aren't allowed to solicit for fares and he had been waiting for 3 hours. Two other couples jumped at the deal and so the 6 of us were off to the airport. The cost was $107.00 for the group; $18 a person which was cheaper than the ship transfer.:)

 

It is really hard to get back into our everyday life! We had such a fantastic time and made lots of new friends!:D